Possible Changes at LeCellier

[MichaelColey]

All this debating about prime or not prime steak, is just making me ache for a good steak regardless of the label. Medium Rare please, with mushrooms and grilled onions on the side.

Ditto that! Must have steak for dinner tonight!

 

[sjs314]

I will be watching this thread for updates, I have a ressie for early November, it will be our first time at Le Cellier

 

[Lewisc]

The free dining plan is offered instead of 30-45% discounts that were traditionally offered during the "hurricane season". After the Florida kids go back to school and before the Wine and Food Festival.

DVC owners booking on points don't get free dining. Nor did they get a cash check reflecting the discount they would have received if they booked with Disney.

Free dining guests staying in a value resort get the QS dining plan. It's possible TS restaurants won't be as crowded as past free DDP promotions.

Fully booked restaurants is a positive to Disney.

The free dining program even discourages people from buying into DVC, because DVC members won't get free dining, they have to pay for it, and others know that every September Disney is going to give free dining again.

When dining is totally free it ruins the restaurants and the ability to get a reservation within a week or two during your stay.

So if Disney has to make more of the restaurants Signature status to get around the over crowded Dining Plan usage, then that is a good start.

Nothing is ultimately free. There is always a price to pay.

 

[wdwluvin]

I have a friend who is a server at LC, here is what he told me today:

Ah, yes, it looks like we will be going to Signature. I don't think it's quite finalized yet, but here is what I know so far. It's either going to happen in October or January, we'll probably remain 1 TS credit for lunch, but move to 2 TS credit for dinner.
If this does happen, the quality of the food is going to go way up, Canadian Beef will be brought back to Le Cellier, and a lot more Canadian Wines as well.
Should be interesting!

 

[honeymo78]

We have taken LC off our current rotation, making it harder for us to find dinner locations for our multiple evenings (drinking) in WS. If this is true and they up the quality of the food/steaks and spread out the tables a bit more, we'll happily go back and give it a try again. That fact that it is such a huge value as 1 credit restaurant really has created an environment which we would prefer to skip.

 

[Bonnie40]

I have a friend who is a server at LC, here is what he told me today:

Ah, yes, it looks like we will be going to Signature. I don't think it's quite finalized yet, but here is what I know so far. It's either going to happen in October or January, we'll probably remain 1 TS credit for lunch, but move to 2 TS credit for dinner.
If this does happen, the quality of the food is going to go way up, Canadian Beef will be brought back to Le Cellier, and a lot more Canadian Wines as well.
Should be interesting!

Glad to see additional confirmation on this info! It seems it's really just the timeline that needs to be confirmed. My daughter was told that there is a huge budget for a restaurant makeover....should be very interesting to see what kind of shutdown there will be!

 

[The Scotts]

I could be wrong, but didn't Le Cellier start out as a quick service eatery, or cafe? Seems funny that it's now moved up to Signature status over the years. Where next, the Tommorrowland terrace?

 

[sjs314]

It would seem some are cancelling their ADR's based on this Le Cellier rumor......I had been trying for days to change my ressie time and there was nothing available, late last night I checked and found numerous times for the days I plan on being at Epcot in November.

 

[n2mm]

Well this is the best news I've read all day. I'm thrilled beyond thrilled to read this. I remember when it use to be a 2TS (along with Coral Reef). Since I don't use the DDP, I'll be glad that this again will become a place that is not so hard to get into. Hopefully they will accept the TiW card as many signature locations do!

 

[Lewisc]

Le Cellier never operated as a 2 credit restaurant. It was originally listed as a 2 credit restaurant but was reduced to 1 credit when the WS restaurants were added. My memory is the change was made prior to start of the DDP.

We'll see how many other WS restaurants change to Signature status.

Disney likes full restaurants. I'm sure they'll do something to encourage guests to upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan.

 

[angel23321]

So here's my question. If this is supposed to happen in October, will LC be "taken off the market" for a while to make the change? I have ADR's the last week in September and really want to go (2TS or 1TS) otherwise I have to find another ADR during free dining which is almost impossible.

 

[Tricia1972]

So here's my question. If this is supposed to happen in October, will LC be "taken off the market" for a while to make the change? I have ADR's the last week in September and really want to go (2TS or 1TS) otherwise I have to find another ADR during free dining which is almost impossible.

This is a huge reason as to why we made the decision on the Restaurant Board to move it over here to News and Rumors. Unfortunately there are just too many question marks for anyone to make a good plan right now.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Very sad Our favorite restaraunt will now be a difficult decision to keep if it turns to 2 TS.

I'm with you I can make ADRs on Sunday, 23rd & I sure hope they honor the 1 TS credit if it does change in 2010. I'd much rather try something different if we're going to have to shell out 2TS.

 

[JasonDVC]

...If this does happen, the quality of the food is going to go way up, Canadian Beef will be brought back to Le Cellier, and a lot more Canadian Wines as well![/B]

I think this GREAT news. Anthing that helps bring up the quality of food at Disney Restaurants is OK by me. I know it will be more expensive but I like it when people talk about the outstanding restaurants at Disney. If these changes improve the overall qaulity of the dining experience at Le Cellier, I'm all for it.

 

[Faldred]

If we're expressing "wish lists" at all here, if they're going to upgrade Le Cellier to a signature restaurant (which will require improving the quality of the offerings accordingly), then there would be a a good opening for an "Outback" level steak restaurant in the American pavilion. Hopefully one that would be roomier than the narrow confines of Le Cellier.

That way, every can have their steak and eat it, too.

 

[n2mm]

I'm with you I can make ADRs on Sunday, 23rd & I sure hope they honor the 1 TS credit if it does change in 2010. I'd much rather try something different if we're going to have to shell out 2TS.

Believe me, if it changes they will not honor anyone's ADR that was booked prior to the change. I actually had that happen to me one year. Several years ago the child's age was under 11. I booked a July visit at the BC and was taking our then 10 yo grandson. I made all of my ADRs to include Cape May, Chef Mickey's, Trail's End. Then right before our trip (which was mid July) Disney announced that on July 1 the age for kids was to drop to 9 and under. I called dining regarding if this would be honored since I made the ADRs before the change and they said it should be. Well you can guess that it wasn't. I went to Cape May and asked at the desk prior to being seated if our 10 yo grandson would be charged adult or child's prices since it was booked in March and then told me adult....we walked away and didn't eat there. I then went to the front desk and asked again and was told I would have to pay the new prices and so I cancelled all of my buffet dining. He barely ate chicken strips, so there was no way we were going to pay the adult price. The only price that was honored was at the HDDR, since it had been paid in advance.

 

[Lewisc]

Restaurants change their menu all the time. Prices go up. Sometimes down. New items are added. Items are deleted. The age for kids pricing may change. Customers don't generally have the option of ordering from the menu that was in effect at the time they made their reservation.

Your ADRs were honored, subject to the restaurant's policy which was in effect at the time of your meal. I guess it would have been too confusing to decide which customers got special deals and which didn't.

I don't blame Disney. I don't blame you for cancelling your ADRs.

I agree with your conclucsion. I don't see anyway a restaurant will be charging 1 credit for some guests and 2 credits for others. Nor do I think Le Cellier will have a 1 credit menu for some customers and 2 credit menu for others.

Believe me, if it changes they will not honor anyone's ADR that was booked prior to the change. I actually had that happen to me one year. Several years ago the child's age was under 11. I booked a July visit at the BC and was taking our then 10 yo grandson. I made all of my ADRs to include Cape May, Chef Mickey's, Trail's End. Then right before our trip (which was mid July) Disney announced that on July 1 the age for kids was to drop to 9 and under. I called dining regarding if this would be honored since I made the ADRs before the change and they said it should be. Well you can guess that it wasn't. I went to Cape May and asked at the desk prior to being seated if our 10 yo grandson would be charged adult or child's prices since it was booked in March and then told me adult....we walked away and didn't eat there. I then went to the front desk and asked again and was told I would have to pay the new prices and so I cancelled all of my buffet dining. He barely ate chicken strips, so there was no way we were going to pay the adult price. The only price that was honored was at the HDDR, since it had been paid in advance.

 

[Luv2Roam]

If this happens, I could see where lunch may be 1 credit and dinner 2. That is an option.
But I agree, I do not see they would honor any previously made ADRs as it would be so difficult to track who booked what and when. And everything is always subject to change and noted.
The best I would expect (and hope for) is they would have phone calls made to the guests with LC ADRs during the changeover. But I would not hold my breathe on that.
I would think they would wait until January 1, if this takes place. Esp with LC being a CP dinner option, which will most likely be 2 credits, to match last year.
But hard to say.

 

[MichaelColey]

It would seem some are cancelling their ADR's based on this Le Cellier rumor......I had been trying for days to change my ressie time and there was nothing available, late last night I checked and found numerous times for the days I plan on being at Epcot in November.

I wouldn't recommend that people cancel (and I know you're just noting it, not recommending it). Wait and see. Book a backup reservation if you want (I need to do that, now that I think of it), but there's no need to cancel until you know what is going to happen and how they're going to handle it.

 

[CrazyaboutGoofy]

I wouldn't recommend that people cancel (and I know you're just noting it, not recommending it). Wait and see. Book a backup reservation if you want (I need to do that, now that I think of it), but there's no need to cancel until you know what is going to happen and how they're going to handle it.

I agree with you! As soon I read that LC might be going to 2 TS, I booked another ADR for the same evening as LC. I figured I can cancel either one, depending on what is happening. We are not going until November. Definitely watching this thread.